Improvement in electro-gilding iron



Wire,

HIRAM TUCKER, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 90,893, dated June 1, 1869.

IMPROVELIENT IN ELE C'IRO-G-ILD ING IRON.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

In making such application of gold, it is impossible to produce adeposit which will be enduring, provided the surface is to be unprotected, without the useof such depth or thickness of gold as will make the application very expensive, and the object of my improvement is to provide a means for protecting a very thin deposit, "or a mere blush of gold, so that the surfaces of iron may be inexpensively gilded with a coating which shall practically have the same value as a deposit, thick cnongh in itself to be proof against injury from contact or from atmospheric influences.

My improvement consists in coating surfaces of artieles of iron, by first making an elect-ro-dcposition of gold, either directly upon the iron surface to be gilded, or upon a foil laid thereon. making this deposit only thick enough to efi'ect a. gilded or gold-colored coating,

and then covering the gold with a varnish, preferably using for this purpose a copal varnish, or a varnish having an oil base.

In p actising lllV invention. 1 first rind down the parts of the iron to be gold-coated to smooth surfaces, polishing these surfaces, if desirable to do so. I then make the deposition of gold directly upon such smoothed or polished surfaces, and then coat the gilded surfaces with varnish.

The varnish, when skilfully applied, does not detract from the appearance of the gilding, and affords an in1- permeable, transparent coating, which acts as a perfect preservative or guard to the gold against oxidation or discoloration.

Instead of depositing the gold directly upon the iron, the iron may be first coated with copper or other metalfoil, but generally I prefer to gild directly upon the iron.

-l. claim the improvement in clcctro-gildiug iron surfaces by outer coating the gold-deposition, substantially as described.

Also, articles ot'iron-ware so gilded by electro-depo-- sition, and outer coated, substantially as described.

HIT- AM TUCKER.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS GOULD, S. B. Krnnnn. 

